358 LAB I AT A E 



The fls. belong in general to classes H. and F. The 2-lipped C 

 ensures that the visiting insect shall take a definite position in regard 

 to the anthers and stigma whilst probing for the honey at the base of 

 the fl. The lower lip acts as a flag to attract, and also as a landing- 

 place, whilst the upper lip shelters the essential organs, which are 

 usu. placed so as to touch the insect's back. The length of the 

 C-tube varies very much, and with it the kind of visitors. Most 

 Brit. sp. are bee fls., the long-tubed red fls. of Monarda &c. are 

 butterfly fls., and a few sp. of Sal via &c. are humming-bird fls. The 

 pollinatiun-mech. is usu. simple; in Lamium, &c. the fl. is homo- 

 gamous, the stigma merely projecting beyond the anthers so as to be 

 touched first, but usu. the fl. is dichogamous (protandr.), often with 

 movements of the essential organs, e.g. in Teucrium, &c. The lever- 

 mechanism of Salvia is almost unique. Thymus, Origanum, and 

 their allies, have nearly regular fls. visited by a more miscellaneous 

 selection of insects. In many L., esp. g VI., interesting distrs. of 

 sex appear, esp. gynodioecism. 



A few disperse their fr. by aid of the persistent bladdery K, or by 

 hooks formed from the K teeth. The stalks are often hygroscopic 

 and move in such a way as to favour dispersal in wet weather. 



Useful on account of their volatile oils; many, e.g. Thymus, 

 Ocimum, Origanum, Salvia, &c., used as condiments. Oils and 

 perfumes are obtained by distillation from Rosmarinus, Pogostemon, 

 Lavandula, &c. Food products from Stachys sp. 



Classification and chief genera (after Briquet, from whose account 

 much of the above is condensed) ; closely allied to Verbenaceae ; 

 from Boraginaceae the position of the radicle sharply separates them, 

 whilst the similarity to Scrophulariaceae, &c. is largely in minor chars. 



A. Style not gynobasic. Nutlets with lateral-ventral attachment 



and usu. large surface of contact (often >\ as high as ovary). 

 I. AJUGOIDEAE (seed exalb.) ; 



i . Ajugeac (corolla various ; upper lip if present rarely concave ; 

 sta. 4 or 2 ; anther 2-loc. ; nutlets wrinkled): Ajuga, 

 Teucrium. 



2. Rosmarineae (corolla strongly 2-lipped; upper lip very con- 

 cave and arched ; sta. 2 ; anthers i-loc. ; nutlets smooth) : 

 Rosmarinus (only genus). 



II. PROSTANTHERO1DEAE (seed albuminous): Prostan- 

 thera. 



B. Style perfectly gynobasic. Nutlets with basal attachment and 



usu. small surface of contact, rarely with basal-dorsal 

 attachment. 



III. PRASIOIDEAE (nutlet drupaceous with fleshy or very thick 



exocarp and hard endocarp) : Stenogyne, Gomphostemma. 



IV. SCUTELLARIOIDEAE (nutlet dry; seed transversal; 



embryo with curved radicle lying on one cot. ) : Scutellaria. 

 V. LA VANDULOIDEAE (nutlet dry ; seed erect ; embryo with 

 short straight superior radicle ; disc-lobes opp. toovary-lobes; 

 nutlets with distinct dorsal-basal attachment ; sta. 4 in- 

 cluded; anthers i-loc. at tip through union of thecae): Lavan- 

 dula (only genus). 



